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Considering that little is known on market orientation at the individual level, this study investigates the effects of individual market orientation on proactive service behavior, and subsequently, sales performance among business-to-business salespeople. Based on social cognitive theory and competing values framework, this paper also examines the interaction effects of organizational culture on the link between individual market orientation and proactive service behavior.

The study sampled 539 business-to-business salespeople from 18 corporate banks in Kuala Lumpur by using a questionnaire survey.

The results of the study show that adhocracy culture strengthens the effects of information acquisition on proactive service behavior, while at the same time weakens the impact of coordination of strategic response on the same outcome. Meanwhile, rational culture displayed negative contingent effects of information dissemination on proactive service behavior.

Given its link to sales performance and proactive service behavior, banks should motivate their employees to embrace market orientation as individual competencies. This research outcome will aid managers in developing strategies and inculcating the right culture to ensure the market-oriented behaviors are internalized and transpired into positive outcomes.

This paper contributes to the enrichment of the existing market orientation frameworks by offering underlying mechanisms (cultural environment and proactive service behavior) through which market-oriented behaviors contribute to the sales performance of business-to-business salespeople within the financial service industry. It is also among the earliest studies that examine the influence of individual market orientation and organizational culture on proactive service behavior.

Based on the E-Service Quality (E-SQ) model, this study investigates the effects of self-service technology (SST) quality attributes, specifically automated teller machines (ATMs), on customer satisfaction. The interaction effects of technological optimism on the abovementioned link are also examined. SST usage is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that consists of five dimensions (reliability, security, convenience, functionality and responsiveness).

The data were collected through a survey of a sample of Malaysian participants who used cash-recycling ATMs. The proposed theoretical model was tested using partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (SEM).

The results suggest that reliability, convenience, and functionality are critical factors that affect customer satisfaction in using ATMs. Technological optimism was found to weaken the relationship between reliability and customer satisfaction.

Considering the relative novelty of cash-recycling ATMs in the market, banks should ensure a smooth, error-free and accessible functioning of the system. Special attention has to be given to tech-savvy consumers whose higher level of optimism, with an increase of perceptions of reliability, may suppress their heighten sense of fulfillment. This customer group could be offered interactive digital engagement through mobile applications and social networking channels.

The E-SQ model is a helpful tool to understand the reasons underlying user satisfaction with cash-recycling ATMs. The results also contribute to the theoretical development of the E-SQ model through the integration of technological optimism as a contingent factor.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether individual market orientation facilitates the development of learning orientation before influencing business-to-business (B2B) salespeople’s performance within the banking industry.

Data were gathered from 539 B2B salespeople from 18 licenced local and foreign financial institutions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by means of a structured survey. The individual market orientation (I-MARKOR) scale was used to measure their market-oriented behaviour specifically in terms of information acquisition, information dissemination and coordination of strategic response. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis via structural equation modelling to examine the hypothesized relationships.

Information Dissemination and Coordination of Strategic Response are reported to impose significant intervention effects on the relationship between learning orientation and job performance. Salespeople who embrace positive learning values are in a favourable position to disseminate and respond to new market information. Subsequently, these behaviours helped them to achieve higher levels of job performance.

By assessing and profiling the market-oriented behaviour of their salespeople, firms will be able to focus on the right competencies training and market-focussed performance appraisal.

This paper contributes to the enrichment of the existing literature on individual market orientation and learning orientation by proposing a model that was empirically tested to be a valid and reliable predictor of job performance.

In spite of the increasing organic and interactive marketing activities over social media, a general understanding of the source credibility of voluntary user-generated content (UGC) is still limited. In line with the social identity theory, this paper examines the effects of consumers' perceived source credibility of UGC in YouTube videos on their attitudes and behavioral intentions. Additionally, source homophily theory is included to predict the antecedent of source credibility.

Three hundred and seventy two Generation Y respondents were interviewed using snowball sampling. Data were analyzed with component-based structural equation modeling technique of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings confirmed that perceived source credibility indirectly affects purchase intention (PI) and electronic word-of-mouth via attitude toward UGC. Besides, perceived source credibility mediates the effect of perceived source homophily on attitude toward UGC.

Since today's consumers have begun to trust and rely more on UGC than company-generated content on social media when making purchase decisions, companies may reconsider democratizing certain aspects of their branding strategies. Firms may fine-tune their marketing communication budgets – not only just by sponsoring public figures and celebrities but also by nurturing coproductive engagements with independent content creators who are ordinary consumers. Endowed with their imposing credibility, these micro-influencers and prosumers have high potentials to be uplifted to brand ambassadors.

While consumers' purchase outcome can be measured easily using metrics and analytics, the roles of source homophily in stages leading up to the purchase is still elusive. Drawing on the rich theoretical basis of source homophily may help researchers to understand not only how credibility and attitude are related to PI but also how this nexus generates positive word of mouth among UGC followers within the social media circles.

This paper aims to investigate the motivational drivers for knowledge sharing (KS) through the application of mobile social networking (MSN) and their influence on employee productivity in the Malaysian construction industry.

The data was collected by distributing a self-administered questionnaire among employees working in the construction industry. A total of 250 questionnaires were collected and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. This study used a variety of analysis methodologies including correlation analysis, reliability and validity testing, as well as a structural model in evaluating the relationships between KS, motivational factors and influence on productivity.

The empirical results of this study reveal that utilitarian motivation is positively related to internal and external KS. Similarly, internal and external KS have a positive influence on productivity, while internal and external hedonic motivation does not show any significant relationship with productivity.

Considering the paucity of evidence regarding the determinants of KS motivational drives on employee productivity in the Malaysian construction industry, this study enriches the social cognitive theory-based literature on KS.

This study provides some insights to the players in the construction industry in implementing the most appropriate KS promotion strategies that could potentially influence employee productivity. Organisations in the construction industry that place great emphasis on utilitarian motivation including competency, reward and incentives are more likely to have a better influence on KS and, in turn, positively impact employee productivity.

This study meaningfully contributes to enhancing the understanding of the motivational drivers for sharing knowledge on MSN and its influence on productivity. The findings of this study potentially assist construction practitioners in developing a holistic blueprint for managing their KS towards improving the overall productivity of their employees.

The purpose of this study is to critically understand and find out the socio-political role of the Acehnese ulamas (Muslim scholars) in solving and coping with social issues faced by contemporary Acehnese society.

This study was conducted in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, especially in the districts of Aceh Utara, Pidie, Aceh Besar, Aceh Selatan and Aceh Timur. The locations were chosen based on the consideration of the objective conditions that many ulamas were dwelling and could easily be found in these areas. Besides, the locations are historically believed as the origins of the Acehnese that are so diverse. In addition, a large number of social problems frequently arose within those regions. The subjects of this research study were a number of community determined by purposive sampling technique. The instruments used for the data collection in this research were observation, in-depth interview and library study; and interpretative understanding was also used to analyze the data.

The existence of the Acehnese ulamas represents the government’s recognition to word the traditional institutional in Aceh. However, some people think that institutions are used by the government to exploit ulama as the mediator between the government and the society. For the Acehnese ulamas, the institution could be used to consolidate their power for the benefit of the people.

The various theories discussed are considered the framework and guidance for this study, especially in terms of data collection and data analysis. The new theories and relevant references will also possibly be added to the following study.

The purpose of this study is to critically understand and to find out the social political role of the Acehnese ulamas (Muslim scholars) in solving and coping with social issues faced by contemporary Acehnese society.

This study was conducted in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, especially in the districts of Aceh Utara, Pidie, Aceh Besar, Aceh Selatan and Aceh Timur. The locations were chosen based on the consideration of the objective conditions that many ulamas are dwelling and easily be found within these areas. Besides, the locations are historically believed as the origins of the Acehnese that are so diverse. In addition, a large number of social problems frequently arose within those regions. The subjects of this research study were a number of community determined by purposive sampling technique. The instruments used for the data collection in this research were observation, in-depth interview and library study; and interpretative understanding was also used to analyze the data.

The existence of the Acehnese ulamas represents the government’s recognition to word the traditional institutional in Aceh. However, some people think that institutions are used by government to exploit ulama as the mediator between government and society. For the Acehnese ulamas, the presence of the institution could be used to consolidate their power for the benefit of the people.

The originality of this research can be seen from the effort to explain how contemporary Acehnese society views Theologian (ulama) in solving social problems, which were little studied by previous researchers. This question is important to examine, given the position of ulama in people’s lives since the pre-independence period and during the social revolution that had occurred in Aceh until the early 1970s was very dominant. That is, even the symbolic world of Acehnese society formed through the dominance of ulama discourse has structured how people’s responses typically must be expressed.

This study aims to explore how informal pawnbrokers and informal pawners interpret the existence of the informal pawnshop in the traditional market in Surakarta, Indonesia, with the main focus to determine the applicability of informal pawnshop development model.

The research used the qualitative method with the phenomenological approach using interview method to fully comprehend the informants’ views regarding the informal pawnshop existence in traditional markets in Surakarta, Indonesia. The applicability of informal pawnshop development model is required for Muslim market vendors. Charitable institutions shall participate in the development of the model by empowering (zakat, infaq, shadaqah and waqf) funds to help Muslims vendors in the traditional markets for additional capital in accordance with Islamic laws for a pawnshop.

The result of the research shows that the existence of informal pawning in the traditional markets is difficult to avoid as both informal pawnbrokers and informal pawners need one another. Most vendors in the traditional markets are Muslims. Islam teaches that loan interest is categorized as forbidden riba. Meanwhile, in the informal pawning practices, the informal pawnbrokers charge loan interest to the informal pawners.

The objective of this study is to investigate to what extent the Islamic pawn shops motivated the people through interest-free system. However, in past, tradition markets facilitate the people, but they charged a huge against it with interest (riba).

This paper aims to present a conceptual model on the efficiency of Islamic real estate investment trusts (I-REITs) available in Malaysia. The key difference between the Islamic and their conventional investment vehicle part is mainly its own Shariah framework. For instance, I-REITS must comply with the requirement of Securities Commission Act 1993 as well as the Guidelines on Islamic Real Estate Investment Trusts (Islamic REITs Guidelines).

The paper reviews and synthesises the relevant literature on the performance analysis and efficiency measurements of REITs. The paper then develops and proposes a conceptual model to measure the efficiency of Malaysian and Islamic REITs.

The paper identifies and examines the appropriate methods and instruments to measure the efficiency in relation to the risk and profitability of I-REITs. The efficiency measure is important for the fund managers to maximise the shareholders’ return in an investment of property portfolio as well as proposing the best way to allocate resources efficiently.

This is a preliminary review of current work that identifies the issues that will be addressed in future empirical research. The authors will be undertaking this future empirical research in measuring the efficiency of Malaysian real estate investment trusts (M-REITs), particularly the I-REITs, using the non-parametric approach of data envelopment analysis.

To date, there has been very limited research on the efficiency measurement of I-REITs. The current analysis of REIT has been focused on traditional non-Islamic funds. This paper will review and discuss the current literature on efficiency measurement to determine the most appropriate approaches and methodologies for future application in performance analysis of efficiency measure for Malaysian and Islamic REITs.

This paper aims to accentuate the behavior of second-grade hybrid Al₂O₃–Cu nanofluid flow and its thermal characteristics driven by a stretching/shrinking Riga plate.

The second-grade fluid is considered with the combination of Cu and Al₂O₃ nanoparticles. Three base fluids namely water, ethylene glycol (EG) and methanol with different Prandtl number are also examined. The formulation of the mathematical model of second-grade hybrid nanofluid complies with the boundary layer approximations. The complexity of the governing model is reduced into a simpler differential equations using the similarity transformation. The bvp4c solver is fully used to solve the reduced equations. The observation of multiple solutions is conducted for the assisting (stretching) and opposing (shrinking) cases.

The impact of suction parameter, second-grade parameter, electromagnetohydrodynamics (EMHD) parameter, velocity ratio parameter and the volumetric concentration of the alumina and copper nanoparticles are numerically analyzed on the velocity and temperature profiles, skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number (thermal rate) of the second-grade Al₂O₃–Cu/water. The solution is unique when (static and stretching cases) while dual for a specific range of negative in the presence of suction effect. Based on the appearance of the first solution in all cases of, it is physically showed that the first solution is stable. Further examination reveals that the EMHD and suction parameters are the contributing factors for the thermal enhancement of this non-Newtonian working fluid. Meanwhile, the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid also plays a significant role in the fluid motion and heat transfer rate based on the finding that the EG base fluid produces the maximum heat transfer rate but the lowest critical value and skin friction coefficient.

The results are novel and contribute to the discovery of the hybrid nanoparticles’ performance in the non-Newtonian second-grade fluid. Besides, this study is beneficial to the researchers in this field and general audience from industries regarding the factors, which contributing to the thermal enhancement of the working fluid.